The family has held a federal grazing permit through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for nearly 60 years and are permittees in good standing. The permit allows them to graze their cattle on the Buffalo Gap National Grassland and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, which reviews the map every time the permit is renewed. There has never been a problem before.

In March 2024, the USDA notified the Maudes that a hunter complained about a fence blocking access to Buffalo Gap National Grassland, according to a letter Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., sent to then-Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, seeking help for the family.

On May 1, 2024, the Maudes met with the Forest Service and everyone in the meeting agreed to do a land survey to figure out exactly where the fence belonged.

On May 6, 2024, a U.S. Forest Service special agent escorted a survey crew onto the Maudes’ property.

Then, with no warning, on June 24, 2024 the Maudes received a visit from Forest Service special agents with indictments for each of them. Charles and Heather Maude were charged separately — they had to get separate attorneys. The charge was “Theft of national grasslands managed by the United States Department of Agriculture, namely, approximately 25 acres of National Grasslands for cultivation and approximately 25 acres of National Grasslands for grazing cattle,” the indictment said. All for a fence that was placed before either of them was born. //

The Maudes tried to work out a solution, but the Biden Administration immediately dragged them into court on a charges that come with 10 years of prison and a $250,000 fine, one for each of them — totaling a half million dollars for the family. The spouses were instructed not to speak to each other about the case.